Admit it: you’ve never given charging your phone a second thought. Not many of us have — don’t feel bad. But when you sleepwalk to the charger every night or buy random charging cables off of the internet because they’re cheap, you may save money and conserve brain power for other things, but you are unknowingly putting your device at risk for long-term damage.
How you charge your phone and what you use to charge your device matter. Stop making these four common iPhone charging mistakes that may not realize are ruining your device.
Using Your Phone While It’s Charging
It’s tempting to pick up your phone while it’s charging and continue working, texting with friends, scrolling Facebook, or playing games. But if you’re constantly using your phone while it’s charging you are putting it at risk of heating up too quickly and straining your battery and processor. Try and leave your hands off of your phone while it’s charging and plan to charge it when you can go without your phone for a little bit.
Charging Your Phone in the Car
Before you protest and say you always charge your phone in the car and it’s a great time-saver, we agree. The problem occurs when you get into the habit of charging your phone in the car in extreme temperatures, such as on a hot summer day when your device is placed on the console in direct sunlight. Extreme heat or cold can and will negatively impact your battery, so be very careful in these situations. Shield your phone until you can get to a room temperature space where it’s safer to charge your device.
Buying Cheap Charging Cables
There are plenty of cheap charging cables out there for sale — and their low prices are tempting. But not all of these cables are designed to deliver the power your iPhone needs. When the power balance is off, you put your phone at risk for overheating. Even if it costs a little more, it’s wise to purchase chargers and charging cables that are Apple-certified.
Buying Cheap Power Banks
Charging cables aren’t the only accessories you should be cautious about. Power banks that aren’t designed to work harmoniously with your iPhone can lack overcharge protection. This means, they can continue deliver a rapid charge to your phone long after it requires it, causing your device’s battery to heat up quickly. Only purchase power banks from brands that are trusted and make sure they are certified to work with iPhones.
